Newely diagnosed, should I start taking metformin?

[NewMember1011]

Hi, my name is Henry. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I controlled it through exercise and diet. Unfortunately, it stayed with me and I was recently diagnosed as diabetic through Glucose Tolerance Test. However, my glocuse level is still around 4.4 for fasting, and less than 6.8 after 3 hours of having meal. I just saw an endocrinologist, he is insisting that I should start metformin. I know that I am controlling my BG through low carb diet (21 gr carbs per meal). I was wondering if there is any benefit of starting metformin now? if I can control my BG through my lifestyle, can I get to the point that I cannot control it by diet anymore? or get any diabetes complication? Thanks in advance.

 

[EllieM]

Unfortunately, it stayed with me and I was recently diagnosed as diabetic through Glucose Tolerance Test.

Hi Henry and welcome to the forums. Do you have a diagnosis as to which type of diabetes you have and did you increase your carbs for the 3 days preceding the test?

Microsoft Word - 12_7_11 Diet Preparation for a Glucose Tolerance Test.doc (cesphn.org.au)

(Sorry, am not sure how many carbs a "serve" is in the above document, but my guess is you need to be eating between 100g and 200g a day.)

Do you have an hba1c to go with the GTT results?

 

[catinahat]

Welcome Henry

I was wondering if there is any benefit of starting metformin now?

Here's a link to an article about the benefits of metformin
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-metformin-a-wonder-drug-202109222605

I just saw an endocrinologist, he is insisting that I should start metformin

It's your body and ultimately your decision. Dr's can suggest drugs and treatments, they can not insist

 

[zand]

I took metformin for a while. It helped combat insulin resistance and therefore made weight loss possible for me.

The downside is that it can deplete our vit B12 levels. I had symptoms of B12 deficiency last year and won't take metformin anymore.

 

[OB87]

Diabetes is not normally diagnosed via a glucose tolerance test. Your profile says you are male but you mention gestational diabetes. If you had gestational diabetes during pregnancy, even if well controlled you should be entitled to yearly hba1c blood test. I would get a hba1c test done first before I considered medication.

Also your fasting and after meal reading look really good!